JWNT TRYOUT BY INVITATION ROSTER ANNOUNCED

Toronto – Canada Basketball announced the 16 athletes who have been invited to the junior women’s national team tryout by invitation camp. The 2012 junior women’s national team is for Canadian female athletes born January 1, 1994 or later.

This summer, the team will compete in the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women, in Gurabo, Puerto Rico from August 15th – August 19th. The tryouts will take place at Georgian College beginning July 27th – July29th.

2012 JUNIOR WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – TRYOUT BY INVITATION ROSTER

Name

Position

Height

Hometown

Sophie Beaudry

Centre

6-4

Chambly, QC

Renee Byrne

Guard

5-10

Devon, AB

Taijah Campbell

Forward

6-2

Ajax, ON

Samantha Cooper

Guard/Forward

6-1

Sudbury, ON

Paige Crozon

Guard

6-0

Humboldt, SK

Abigail Fogg

Centre

6-4

Sault Ste. Marie, ON

Kaylee Halvorson

Guard

5-11

Regina, SK

Ruth Hamblin

Centre

6-6

Houston, BC

Samantha Hill

Guard

5-10

Toronto, ON

Michelle Hudyn

Forward

6-2

Kitchener, ON

Kaili Lukan

Guard

5-10

Barrie, ON

Sarah-Jane Marois

Guard

5-7

Quebec, QC

Isidora Purkovic

Guard

5-11

Calgary, AB

Cheyanne Roger

Forward

6-2

Etobicoke, ON

Catherine Traer

Forward

6-1

Ottawa, ON

Dakota Whyte

Guard

5-9

Ajax, ON

“We are excited about the start of camp” said head coach, Andy Sparks. “We have a deep roster with athletes coming in from coast-to-coast. The athletes who are coming to camp are very athletic and have great size, which will make for a highly competitive camp.”

The Canadian Junior Women’s National Team is one of eight teams who will compete in the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women. The Canadian team will face tough competition in the preliminary round as they have been assigned to Group B, which includes: Brazil, Mexico and Puerto Rico. The top two teams from each group will go on to the semi-finals.

Canada will need a top-four finish in order to qualify for next year’s FIBA U19 World Championship for Women, in Lithuania.

The Canadian Junior Women’s National Team will be looking to medal in this event for the fifth consecutive time.

In the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women, Canada earned a bronze medal finish which earned them a berth into 2011 FIBA U19 World Championships, where they finished 5th.